Hair clip and method for using said hair clip

ABSTRACT

A hairclip ( 1 ) for securing a lock of hair ( 3 ) wound onto a curler ( 2 ), where the hairclip ( 1 ) has two legs ( 4, 5 ) that are connected to a spring ( 7 ) by means of a hinge ( 6 ). The legs ( 4, 5 ) have a number of curved clip tines ( 8, 9 ) that are arranged in rows, each row with a tine base ( 10, 11 ). Each tine base ( 10, 11 ) is adjoined by an actuating leg section ( 12, 13 ) on the opposite side and the two actuating leg sections ( 12, 13 ) are disposed asymmetrically with regard to the length of the tine base ( 10, 11 ). For the sake of a tight spacing and easy manipulation of the hairclips ( 1 ), hairclips ( 1 ) are used which have asymmetrically situated actuating leg sections ( 12, 13 ), where the hairclips ( 1 ) are placed on the curlers ( 2 ) according to the method in such a way that the actuating leg sections ( 12, 13 ) of one hairclip ( 1 ) are not disposed in the immediate vicinity of the actuating leg sections ( 12, 13 ) of an adjacent hairclip ( 1 ) (FIG.  5 ).

[0001] The invention relates to a hairclip for securing a lock of hair wound onto a curler, where the hairclip has two legs that are connected to a spring by means of a hinge, where the legs each have a number of curved clip tines arranged in row, each row with a tine base, and where each tine base is adjoined by an actuating leg section on the opposite side.

[0002] A great variety of such hairclips are known from the prior art, for example in DE 296 00 643 U1. These hairclips are provided with centrally disposed actuating leg sections or actuating wings for clipping or securing them to a lock of hair wound onto a curler or also for removing them, so that (immediately) adjacent actuating leg sections or actuating wings make it difficult or even impossible to manually actuate the sections or wings with a thumb and index finger to clip them into place or remove them. It is also impossible to place the hairclips in close proximity to each other because the actuating leg sections or actuating wings interfere with one another.

[0003] The object of the invention, therefore, is to produce a hairclip of this same generic type or a method for securing a number of curlers by means of hairclips, which eliminates the disadvantages explained above.

[0004] This object is attained according to the characterizing features of claim 1 and claim 7.

[0005] The invention will be explained in detail in conjunction with several exemplary embodiments.

[0006]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hairclip for securing a lock of hair wound onto a curler;

[0007]FIG. 2 is a side view of the hairclip according to FIG. 1;

[0008]FIG. 3 is a top view of the hairclip according to FIG. 2;

[0009]FIG. 4 is another side view of the hairclip according to FIG. 2, and

[0010]FIG. 5 is a top view of tightly spaced hairclips for securing curlers, each with a lock of hair wound onto it.

[0011]FIG. 1 shows a hairclip 1 for securing a lock of hair 3 wound onto a curler 2, where the hairclip 1 has two legs 4, 5 that are connected to a spring 7 by means of a hinge 6. The legs 4, 5 each have a number of curved clip tines 8, 9 arranged in a row, each row with a tine base 10, 11. An actuating leg section 12, 13 adjoins each tine base 10, 11, where the two actuating leg sections 12, 13 are disposed opposite each other, asymmetrically (at one end) in relation to the length of the tine base 10, 11, which permits and unhindered actuation of the actuating leg sections 12, 13. Each leg 4, 5 is respectively provided with at least three tines 8, 9, preferably with four or more tines 8, 9. The hairclips 1 are inexpensive to produce and are chemically durable because at least the legs 4, 5 are made of plastic. Each leg 4, 5 is provided with four tines 8, 9.

[0012] The hairclip 1 according to FIG. 2 is shown in a side view without a curler 2 and shows the hairclip 1 in intermediary position between open and closed.

[0013]FIG. 3 shows a top view of the hairclip 1 according to FIG. 2; in particular, a two-piece hinge 6 is shown here, but this can also be embodied as one continuous hinge.

[0014] As shown in particular by FIG. 4, the two actuating leg sections 12, 13 are embodied differently here than in FIG. 1, namely tapering in height from one end to the other.

[0015]FIG. 5 shows an arrangement of hairclips as a result of a method for securing a number of curlers 2 by means of hairclips 1, without the actuating leg sections 12, 13 interfering with one another, where a lock of hair 3 is wound onto each curler 2 and the hairclip 1 has two laterally situated legs 4, 5, which are connected to a spring 7 by means of a hinge 6. The legs 4, 5 have a number of curved tines 8, 9 arranged in a row, each row with a tine base 10, 11. Each tine base 10, 11 is adjoined by an actuating leg section 12, 13 on the opposite side. For the sake of a tight spacing and easy manipulation of the hairclips 1, the method consists of using hairclips 1 with asymmetrically (laterally) situated actuating leg sections 12, 13, where the hairclips 1 are placed on the curlers 2, oriented in such a way that the actuating leg sections 12, 13 of one hairclip 1 are not disposed in the immediate vicinity of the actuating leg sections 12, 13 of an adjacent hairclip 1. This leaves enough space between the adjacent actuating leg sections 12, 13 for a hand shown with dashed lines to manually actuate the actuating leg sections 12, 13.

[0016] As a first method example, according to FIG. 5, the hairclips 1 are placed with the curlers 2 one above the other in a vertical row (14), with an alternating orientation of the actuating leg sections 12, 13, where additional parallel vertical rows 15, 16, 17 are placed next to one another, with the same orientation of the actuating leg sections 12, 13.

[0017] As a second method example, according to FIG. 5, the hairclips 1 are placed with the curlers 2 lengthwise along a horizontal row 14.1, with the same orientation of the actuating leg sections 12, 13, where additional horizontal rows 15.1, 16.1, 17.1 are placed above one another in alternating succession, each new row with a respectively opposite orientation of the actuating leg sections 12, 13.

[0018] The hairclips 1 and the method for securing a number of curlers, each with a lock of hair 3 rolled onto it, are preferably provided for the professional hair care field. Various hairclip sizes and hairclip colors can be provided where different size classes of the hairclips 1 are classified by means of designated colors. A one-piece embodiment of the hairclip 1 similar to DE 296 00 643 U1 can also be provided.

REFERENCE NUMERAL LIST

[0019] 1 hairclip

[0020] 2 curler

[0021] 3 lock of hair

[0022] 4 first leg

[0023] 5 second leg

[0024] 6 hinge

[0025] 7 spring

[0026] 8 first clip tines

[0027] 9 second clip tines

[0028] 10 first tine base

[0029] 11 second tine base

[0030] 12 first actuating leg section

[0031] 13 second actuating leg section

[0032] 14, 15, 16, 17 vertical rows

[0033] 14.1, 15.1, 16.1, 17.1 horizontal rows 

1. A hairclip for securing a lock of hair wound onto a curler, where the hairclip has two legs that are connected to a spring by means of a hinge, where the legs have a number of clip tines that are arranged in rows and curved toward each other, each row with a tine base, and where each tine base is adjoined by an actuating leg section on the opposite side, characterized in that the two actuating leg sections (12, 13) are disposed asymmetrically with regard to the length of the tine base (10, 11).
 2. The hairclip according to claim 1, characterized in that each leg (4, 5) is provided with at least three tines (8, 9).
 3. The hairclip according to claim 1, characterized in that the legs (4, 5) are made of plastic.
 4. The hairclip according to claim 1, characterized in that the hairclip (1) is provided in different size classes.
 5. The hairclip according to claim 1, characterized in that the hairclip (1) is provided in different color classes.
 6. The hairclip according to claims 4 and 5, characterized in that the different size classes of hairclips (1) are classified by designated colors.
 7. A method for securing a number of curlers by means of hairclips, where a lock of hair is wound onto each curler and where the hairclip has two legs, which are connected to a spring by means of a hinge, where the legs have a number of tines that are arranged in rows and curved toward each other, each row with a tine base, and where each tine base is adjoined by an actuating leg section on the opposite side, characterized in that for the sake of a dense arrangement and easy use of the hairclips (1), hairclips (1) are used which have asymmetrically (laterally) situated actuating leg sections (12, 13), where the hairclips (1) placed on the curlers (2), oriented in such a way that the actuating leg sections (12, 13) of one hairclip (1) are not disposed in the immediate vicinity of the actuating leg sections (12, 13) of an adjacent hairclip (1).
 8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that the hairclips (1) are placed with the curlers (2) one above the other in a row (14), with an alternating orientation of the actuating leg sections (12, 13), where additional parallel rows (15, 16, 17) are placed next to one another, with the same orientation of the actuating leg sections (12, 13).
 9. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that the hairclips (1) are placed with the curlers (2) lengthwise along a row (14.1), with the same orientation of the actuating leg sections (12, 13), where additional rows (15.1, 16.1, 17.1) are placed above one another in alternating succession, each new row with a respectively opposite orientation of the actuating leg sections (12, 13). 